Jody Morris says Swindon will look to bring in a defender after another injury

Jody Morris has said that Swindon Town intend to bring in at least one free agent defender to help mask their injury crisis. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam spoke to Town’s head coach after their 3-0 win over Harrogate Town.

Ciaran Brennan became Swindon’s fourth injury in the centre of defence and sixth absentee at the back in general when he had to come off in first half stoppage time in Saturday’s victory over the Sulphurites due to a dislocated shoulder.

Ryan Whelan of The Real EFL has reported that Town are set to add 64-cap Jamaica international Adrian Mariappa, 36, who was released by Burton Albion during January and has been without a club since.

He said: “The medical staff said that it was [a dislocated shoulder for Brennan], but I haven’t quite followed that up yet, but they felt that it was popped out on the pitch.

“So that is a huge disappointment and a blow for Ciaran [Brennan], but as we have seen already it is one we are going to have to deal with.

“We are certainly trying [to bring someone in], but there are obstacles that can be in the way of that so we will have to see where we are at after today.

“I have said to you already that we are short in that area, and we missed out on deadline day.

“We have been looking to improve, but it is not as easy as it sounds and some fans may think.

“But we are trying, and fingers crossed we can get something working by next week.”

Morris also talked about Harrison Minturn, saying there was the opportunity for him to be involved, but felt he had a way to go before he could play more regularly.

He said: “It was more of a tactical one [to leave Minturn out of the squad], maybe he was slightly unlucky not to be on the bench, but I just felt that if there was a change needed then tactically it was easier for us to go to a three [at the back] with the other attributes we had on the bench.

“He is a young lad and we would rather give players an opportunity when things are going great and easing them in.

“He is doing well, but there is a lot to his game that he needs to improve on, like a lot of the lads.

“But obviously he is one we are looking at depending on how we are going to play who we might have to consider moving forwards.”